• by Tyler Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_tyler, May 7, 2015

Finding a “math man” of their own, digital ad fraud detection firm Forensiq on Thursday announced the appointment of Mike Andrews as chief scientist, a new position at the company.

Andrews, former director of research at DoubleVerify, holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Physics from MIT.

Andrews and other Forensiq representatives told Real-Time Daily that Andrews’ Ph.D. in Experimental Physics was not “directly” related to Forensiq hiring him for the position, but it certainly played a part. “A lot of the scientific approach and analytical thinking and strategy translates well into the ad tech and ad fraud industries, so it’s a natural crossover at times,” said a Forensiq representative.

Andrews echoed this sentiment, saying that his degree was not a “deciding factor” per se, but that it gives him a solid base in general theory and technology.

Andrews said long-term, he plans to work with the “best and brightest minds in academia” to make their research applicable to the ad tech and ad fraud worlds. “There are some big heavyweights out there in math and computer science who already have relevant results,” he said, adding, “they just don’t know they are relevant to ad tech yet.”

It’s fitting that Forensiq, a company that relies on data and smart technology, would land an experimental physicist as their chief scientist. To hear Andrews speak of it, his day-to-day schedule at Forensiq will revolve around approaching fraud detection from a scientific standpoint. He mentioned the “scientific method” multiple times during a brief conversation with Real-Time Daily.

It looks like it’s the scientific approach fraud detection firms -- at least Forensiq -- will be taking to the bot-riddled battlefield.